THERE have been a number of misleading stories of late which have understandably prompted many residents to wonder what on earth is going on.

Is the council really closing its tourist information centre (TIC) in Durham City and maintaining one in Peterlee? The simple answer is no.

For a start, Peterlee TIC is funded by Peterlee Town Council and secondly, although it is unlikely information for tourists in Durham City will be provided via the current centre in the future, we have made it absolutely clear that we will ensure the face-to-face services it offers continue.

This is despite losing more than half of our budget in this area, nearly £1m.

Detailed work to research visitors’ needs reveals less than three per cent get their information from TICs, preferring a mix of online and face-to-face information services, as close as possible to the attractions they wish to visit.

In response, the council and Visit County Durham are committed to providing more information to more people in the way they wish to access it, in the heart of not just Durham City, but also Barnard Castle and Stanhope.

I hope that this letter helps allay the concerns of people who may think we will close these facilities without considering the consequences. The reality is very different and I believe will leave us better placed to respond the rapidly changing tourism market.

Councillor Neil Foster, Cabinet member for regeneration and economic development, Durham County Council